Initiative could inject roughly $60,000 into the local economy

FLORENCE— Keiter Corporation will donate $25,000 to the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce for a promotion that will allow consumers to purchase a $25 Northampton Gift Card and receive $50 in actual spending power.

This is the third consecutive year Keiter has launched the initiative, donating $10,000 in 2021 and doubling the investment in 2022. A $5,000 gift from the chamber’s Neighborhood Revitalization Fund will be added to Keiter’s contribution to continue stimulating the local economy beyond the pandemic.

The 2023 gift card promotion, “Building Our Community Together,” launches on Wednesday, Aug. 9 and runs while supplies last. The $25 Keiter Gift Cards will be sold exclusively at the chamber office at 99 Pleasant St., Northampton, during the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Consumers must mention that they want a Keiter Gift Card, and the promotion applies only to $25 Northampton Gift Card purchases. (A $50 gift card would not be valued at $100, for instance.) There is a limit of one card per customer, per transaction. 

Last year’s “Strengthen the Community” promotion was a huge success. In three days, the cards sold out, and the program infused $50,000 into the local economy — a welcome boost to area businesses. Inspired by the community’s enthusiasm and participation, Keiter plans to build on the momentum.

“After the campaign’s success over the last two years, we’re thrilled to invest even more in our community this year to keep Northampton thriving,” said Scott Keiter, founder and president of Keiter.  “Our community matters to us.”

Based in Florence, Keiter has provided general contracting and construction management services in the Pioneer Valley since 2010 for its commercial and residential projects. Keiter Builders, the commercial and industrial division of the company; Keiter Homes, offering residential construction; Hatfield Construction, providing site work; and Keiter Properties, the real estate arm, are all under one Keiter umbrella at keiter.com.

Scott Keiter is a member of the Greater Northampton Chamber’s Board of Directors and its Finance Committee, so he is personally aware of the financial challenges that area businesses can experience. 

The Northampton Gift Card is currently accepted at more than 100 local businesses, including restaurants, shops and spas.

To learn more about the Keiter card, visit Keiter.com or call the Chamber at 413-584-1900.

For more information about Keiter, visit www.hatfieldconstruction.com.

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Effort to benefit Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce, local merchants, and area consumers

FLORENCE—Keiter Corporation has donated $10,000 to the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce for a promotion that will allow consumers to purchase a $25 Northampton gift card and receive $50 in actual spending power.

This investment by Keiter, aimed at helping to continue to boost the local economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, will be supplemented by a $2,500 contribution from the Chamber’s Community Revitalization Fund, allowing for 250 of the double-valued, $25 Northampton gift cards to be sold.

Billed as a “Kickstart the Community with a Keiter Card” campaign, the promotion will launch on Aug. 12. The $25 Keiter Cards will be sold exclusively at the Chamber offices at 99 Pleasant St., Northampton during the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Consumers must mention that they want a Keiter Card, and the promotion applies only to $25 Northampton gift card purchases. (A $50 gift card would not be valued at $100, for instance.)

There is a limit of one card per customer, per transaction.

“We care about our community and where we live,” said Scott Keiter, founder and president of the Keiter Corporation with his wife, Jill, director of finance. “Our families are here. Our business is here. We saw this as an opportunity to raise awareness about our business in a way that benefits the local business community and consumers. We’re trying to reinvest in a different way.

“COVID-19 was not fair,” he added. “Some industries, people, and families were hit significantly harder than others. We see this as a way to help people get back out there and feel better about having a nice meal and spending some time in downtown Northampton. Let’s continue to build the positive energy downtown and support our business community.”

Based in Florence, Keiter has provided general contracting and construction management services in the Valley since 2010 for its commercial and residential projects.

Scott Keiter is a member of the Chamber’s Board of Directors and its Finance Committee, so he is personally aware of the financial hit that local merchants took during the pandemic.

Knowing the gift card program has been successful, he thought an investment focused on it would be a win-win-win for his business, the Chamber, and shoppers around the region who have also been hard-hit.

“We see this as a positive way to invest in our community,” Keiter added. “Things are coming back to life. It’s another little piece of the puzzle. Another piece of forward movement. We hope this is very successful and triggers a cascade of other organizations getting involved in doing similar things.”

Keiter Corporation’s tagline is “Develop. Build. Manage.” “We believe our tagline reflects what we are doing in the community through this investment,” Keiter said.

The Northampton Gift Card is currently accepted at 65 restaurants, shops, and other establishments. Additionally, twenty-five Keiter Cards will be given away via an online promotion on the Daily Hampshire Gazette’s website gazettenet.com.

To learn more, visit Keiter.com or call the Chamber at 413-584-1900.

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Unique venue had record-setting 2018 season

GILFORD—Every summer, the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion packs in large crowds for musicians who run the gamut from country’s Chris Stapleton to heavy metal’s Slayer to KIDZ Bop, for the family.

The innovative outdoor venue isn’t just providing folks with a few hours of entertainment, though. It’s pumping nearly $20 million a year into the local economy.

Michael Seymour, the chief operating officer and chief financial officer for the venue formerly known as Meadowbrook, said more than 200,000 people stream through the gates each season. They come from New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and states even further afield.

In 2015, the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development estimated that those attendance numbers translated into $9.6 million in ticket sales at the pavilion. And it marked $6.7 in spending at establishments such as inns, restaurants, retail and entertainment locations, state parks, and gas stations in the region for a total of $16.3 million annually.

Seymour said the big boon is a big responsibility.

“It’s become an economic engine for the region,” Seymour said, noting the venue has 10 full-time staff members year-round and roughly 700 employees in the summer who oversee food and beverage handling. “That’s significant. We provide summer employment for high school and college students and teachers, and others employed in the school system, as well as those who work at ski areas in winter.”

Allan Beetle, co-owner of Patrick’s Pub & Eatery in Gilford, said he has long recognized the importance of the pavilion to the local economy, and he said the community also benefits greatly from the organization’s philanthropy.

“The Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion and the Hardings have been very generous to the Lakes Region community for many years in a number of ways,” Beetle said. “And here at Patrick’s we certainly see a boost in business when there is a concert. We very much appreciate their presence here, and we know that other businesses are equally grateful to have the venue here in our midst.”

The Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion, which has closed for the 2018 season, was founded as Meadowbrook in the Lakes Region 23 years ago and is operated by owners RJ and Bridget Harding. It offers A-list talent for 9,600 viewers per show. In 2018, there were 33 performances.

“Every year, things improve,” said Seymour, who has also served in local government, holding the title of Mayor of Laconia from 2010 to 2014. “We are continually investing in the property and our offerings. We deliver a great product on stage and a great product for patrons as they visit.”

One thing that sets Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion apart is it gets fans closer to the stage.

“Artists and attendees feel like they’re getting a much more intimate show here,” he said. “Watching the Dave Matthews Band here is a bit different than watching at Fenway with tens of thousands of others.”

Seymour said Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion can draw people away from stages in their own regions—as talent tours about—because the venue not only offers a fantastic stage but a festival feel, complete with offerings from pedal boats on the pond to games like corn hole and sack races.

Seymour said the Bank of New Hampshire is a critical sponsor; the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion carries its name, of course, and bank customers can purchase tickets before they go on sale to the general public.

Other sponsors add to the flavor of the venue. Gunstock Mountain Resort uses a Wheel of Prizes to give away gifts such as a free ride on the zip line or the ropes course. Kittery Trading Post, of Maine, sponsors the camping area, the pond, and outdoors activities. AutoServ Chrysler of Tilton displays new vehicles and runs giveaways. And Irwin Marine holds a drawing in which a nightly winner can sit on a pontoon boat—on a trailer—to enjoy a drink and a snack.

“Our partners give us the opportunity to expand our offerings and play a huge role in attracting visitors,” Seymour said.

The Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion also gives back to the region in multiple ways.

Each year in December, Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion plays a significant role in the Lakes Region Children’s Auction, making its staff members available as volunteers and offering IT support. RJ himself designed the auction’s integrated tracking platform, which accounts for all donations in real-time.

The pavilion also operates its own foundation, the Meadowbrook Charitable Foundation, through which memorabilia signed by visiting artists is raffled off to raise funds that are used to support the band and performing arts programs in nine area school districts.

“Municipalities are struggling with budgets and funding,” Seymour said. “Because we’re in the business of entertainment, we feel that’s something very valuable to stand behind.”

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